ELLORA

Ellora is a rock hillside with carved out temples near Aurangabad in Maharashtra province in India and consist of Buddhist, Hindu and Jain religion. The temples were carved between the 5th and 10th century.

There are 34 temples / caves in total, all walkable despite whatever rickshaw drivers say. Main focal point is Kailasha temple (mount Kailash, home to Lord Shiva). The temple is entirely cut out of rock, pillars, elephants and all. The temple was rendered in white plaster creating a contrast between the remaining rock side and the temple and representing a snow covered mount Kailash (there is one in Tibet after all). All the plaster is gone however blending the temple into the rock-side.

The temple has multiple levels and connects to cut out elevated galleries in the hillside by cut out bridges.

The main complex is a succession of three structures of Shiva temples with Nandi, the sacred cow (it’s a bull, actually) and pyramid shaped main temple housing the Lingam (place of worship).

The main ticket office is situated right at the main temple. Visiting Kailasha temple first spoils the impact of the remaining 33 temples and caves since none can match the grandeur of Kailasha temple, even though they too are fantastically splendid.

The temple is too close to the ticket office to have had sufficient time for any annoyance over the fact that foreigners pay 250 rupees while locals pay 10.

The Ellora caves are cut out of rock. Half the mountain still sits on top of this temple, making it a cave with cut out atriums for natural lighting. This is in contrast to Kailasha temple where the entire temple is cut free from rock.

Elaborate three dimensional reliefs are located to either side of most the temples and caves entrances.

These columns still have to carry the load of the mountain above. The Ellora caves are as much a structural wonder as they are architecturally and artistically.

Rich carved out decoration from columns.

Temple entrance

Jain temple with water.

Raised platform for worship in front of the separate chamber for main deity.

The deity chambers are raised and guarded by elaborate strulptures.

Inside the temple cave

Guardians

Stair and window frame with guards to either side. Stairs always consists of three steps.

View into the main hall of one of the may temple caves in Ellora.

Sculpture

Elaborate wall decoration.

Columns and sculpture detail.

Sculptures of elephants are found throughout teh Ellora caves. Kailasha temple main decorating theme are elephants.

Deity chamber with guards.

Woman and ox. The elongated shaped head of the well breasted female figure surely fuels speculations that life forms other than humans created the temples. It is interesting however that this head shape is found at so many esoteric and conspirational sites.

Well shaped breasts, although modestly clad somewhat. The head shape is reassuringly human, too.

More bikini clad female depictions. Proof that the bikini in fact is extra terrestrial.

The terrestrial girl gives scale to the enormity of breasts (at sculptures, that is)

Eight armed elongated head shaped warrior.

Elongated head shape man with either papuan fashion style or enormous penis receives gratitude from women. It does get repetitive…

Multi armed egg head.

Elephant sculpture. Either this is a depiction of Lord Ganesh or the elephants ruled along with eight armed warriors.

This is a very unusual relief which is not common throughout the temples depicting skeletons. This is more reminiscent to gotic church artwork.

Kailasha temple seen form the remaining rock and looking due west. This temple is cut entirely free from rock as opposed to the many caves elsewhere.

Although appearing to be build from the bottom up this temple is carved top down out of rock.

East face with carved away rock overhead.

Temple corner.

North and south elevation with a succession of elephants carrying the temple load. The elephants trunks have been destroyed in an attempt to destroy the entire temple.

Eastern most temple stupas on level two platform.

stupas with vertical rock face in the back ground.

The extend of carving and the detail within is overwhelming.

Richly decorated stupa.

Main temple structure with pyramid shaped roof.

Temple looking west.

Elevated view providing a sense of scale and size of the entire complex.

Succession of building complexes and the various levels.

Roof of the middle section featuring four lions guarding the temple. Seen from above this arrangement appears as an ‘X’. This fuels speculation that this arrangement serves to signal a landing site and hence the temple must have been carved by extra terrestrials. Coupled with the many elongated shaped beings depicted one does feel an ‘Erich von’ moment…

Extra terrestrial or not, the achievement is impressive. The temple is twice the size of the Acropolis in Greece. Jordan’s Petra church pales to an elaborated doorway in comparison (although the Petra setting is much more spectacular).

Inside the temple

All depictions and decorations must have been done at artificial lighting since it is pitch dark inside and the roof always existed while carving out the space. Surely, the extras had torches.